‘Where’s my girl?’ 20 years on, Burlington, Ont., woman learns cherished ashes aren’t of her cat

Valerie Stevenson, a longtime resident of Burlington, Ont., was left in disbelief when her cat accidentally knocked over the urn containing the ashes of her beloved cat Jewels off her dresser. The urn shattered, revealing a dog tag among the ashes that belonged to a pet named Sparky. This discovery led Valerie on a mission to find Sparky’s rightful owners.

After scrubbing the charred tag to reveal the name “Sparky” along with an address and phone number, Valerie and her daughter Rachel embarked on a search to locate Sparky’s owners. They posted on local Facebook groups and Reddit forums, called the phone number on the tag, and visited the address listed, but with no success. Despite the setbacks, Valerie remains determined to reunite Sparky with his original family.

Jewels, the cat whose remains were in the broken urn, was a cherished member of the Stevenson family. Adopted from a local shelter in the 1990s, Jewels lived a long and happy life, bringing joy to each family member. The family kept several pet ashes in urns as a way to remember their beloved animals, with Jewels being a significant part of their collection.

The situation with Sparky’s tag has cast a shadow over Valerie’s pet urn collection, causing her to question the authenticity of the ashes within. After purchasing a new urn for Jewels’ remains, Valerie now faces the dilemma of not having a cat to place in it, highlighting the emotional toll of the mix-up.

Upon contacting Gateway, the pet aftercare provider responsible for Jewels’ cremation, Valerie was informed that due to the passage of time and record retention policies, they were unable to assist in locating Sparky’s owners. Despite this, Gateway offered a refund and memorial items to the Stevenson family as a gesture of compassion.

Although Valerie received a heartfelt apology letter from Gateway, her primary focus remains on reuniting Sparky with his original owners. As she continues her search, Valerie hopes to bring closure to this unexpected turn of events and ensure that Sparky finds his way back home where he belongs.